I just finished rewriting Grey Matters for next week. It occurs to me that I am rarely, if ever, completely happy with what I write. However, I was very unhappy with the way I wrote it the first time and had to rewrite it. Still not completely happy with it, but I can live with it. Still, I will likely change it a bit again, after I have thought on what I wrote.
I used to think that whatever flowed out of my mind was OK to write. It was honest. However, I have now realized that a lot of what flows out of my mind is complete crap. After all, if you write everything as it comes into your mind, you may as well have Tourettes. It is a thin line between being honest and just being an asshole. Once you become an asshole, your words lose all impact except to a very few. Of course, that is assuming they have any impact at all, either way. :-)
Still any impact being besides the point, you have to be happy with it. There are certain columns, blog posts and so on that I wish I had not written. Not because of what others said or anything like that, but because I really think they sucked. Once something is out there you can't do much about it.
Somethings were honest at the time, but over time my opinion changed. Others I just feel were basically badly written -- just bad. I suppose it is normal to feel that way.
It isn't something I spend a lot of time thinking about, but I do feel that I should try to avoid adding regrets and be more careful with what I write. :-)
11 comments:
There are some posts that Ive written that, in hindsight, absolutely failed to capture the subject in any way I could live with.
These were a few (even after publishing them) that were deleted by yours truly because in rereading them, they were beyond awful.Then again some that I thought were really marginal, were wildly popular and some I thought were good were resolutely ignored.
The old saying to err is human applies.
I didn't imagine you having that problem. You are a great writer! I guess you prove that everyone is unhappy with certain things they have written.
I enjoy your refreshing honesty.
Thanks HH!
Lesley, once again, we share a moment of synchronicity, or something.... for the past couple of days, I've been thinking very deeply about this very thing, and, as Bruce pointed out, there have been posts I wish I hadn't written. Not always because they weren't that well written, or. . . (although that has something to do with it as well) but because, what's the point? It's more than that, though...
Good, thoughtful post Lesley. Thanks.
The "what is the point" point. That hits me sometimes too, especially when I realize the people I would most like to really think about what I have said, likely won't. Likely won't even read it and I am preaching to a choir of sorts. :-)
I think "the point" is that something is changing. . . and I don't know what. . . but if I don't
pursue what I am thinking then I'll
never find out.
I think that is normally "my point" (lol) I would like people to actually think about things instead of only reacting to things by what they represent on the surface.
. . .I sit here a total mess . . I haven't eaten or shaved for days and I
look a disaster. . . . my forehead has
bloomed into a rash. . . fortunately now dissipating. . . but I have a nice glass of cold wine that I look forward to aggravating myself with only
to return to slumber and the thought of work tomorrow. . .
The rash thing isn't good, but I am sure the wine will cure it.
Lesley, the first glass had no effect on the rash. . . and the fourth has made me take another day's holiday. . . 2&3 were stimulus.
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